NORWALK — The Board of Education could request a $1.2 million special appropriation to contend with an influx of immigrant students who have enrolled in the district.

Superintendent of Schools Steven J. Adamowski announced in September that an unprecedented number of migrant students were entering the district, many of whom were English Language Learners (ELL) and at least some had recently been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement camps.

The number was so large that health care providers, including City Hall’s Health Department, were reporting significant backlogs as they tried to provide physicals and immunizations to students enrolling in the district. Classes have also become overcrowded and teachers spread thin to adequately educate the 229 new ELL students

“We are at a point where we have exhausted all of our current services,” Adamowski said at a Thursday meeting of the schools board’s Finance Committee. “We’re pretty much at a point where all the classes are full or closed out and we’re going to need to take some immediate action.”

Adamowski said he will send the special appropriation request to Mayor Harry Rilling, who will have final approval. The superintendent and mayor have met once already about the appropriation. Adamowski said he expects a second meeting next week.

Data presented Thursday by ELL Instructional Specialist Helene Becker and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Hamilton show the ELL population at Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon High School up 39 and 24 percent, respectively, year-over-year. Cranbury Elementary has seen a 40 percent increase, while Naramake is up 32 percent. Fox Run, Kendall, Marvin, Tracey and West Rocks have all also seen increases. Districtwide, there are 2,061 ELL students, as of Oct. 8, up from 1,832 in 2018.

In addition, roughly 80 percent of all high school ELL students who have entered the district are Students with Limited and/or Interrupted Formal Education, or SLIFE. Many also have experienced trauma or been detained.

“These families are telling the personnel in the welcome center that they have been in the detention centers and have been released,” Adamowski said.

As a result, Becker said, the district is in dire need of more class spaces, courses, teachers and bilingual counselors to address the influx. If the appropriation gets denied, Finance Committee Chairman Bryan Meek said, the district would have to look at making cuts, possible to extracurricular activities.

“We’re going to need more money,” Meek said before the meeting. “If the city doesn’t want to pay for it, we’re going to look at what we need to cut. At this time of the year, that would probably mean extracurriculars.”